Maintaining your car isn’t just a cosmetics issue—it can save your life, especially in an accident. Consult the professionals at Professional Automotive in Anchorage, AK, for expert auto care and scheduled maintenance checkups, and in the mean time, practice checking your car on your own for obvious signs of wear and tear. With brake pads and brake repair, specifically, there are a few red flags that you can keep an eye out for in order to ensure reliability and performance. Remember — above all, safety comes first!

Brake pads protect your car’s brake rotors, which are much more expensive to have checked on and replaced. Because of this, it’s vital that you keenly observe your brake pads in order to avoid more costly repairs down the line. Generally, the average driver should check his brake pads every 6-9 months, while a more frequent driver should check his every 3 months, and a driver that uses his car rarely could wait up to 12 months. With those time lines in mind, there are also a few telling signs that can alert you to damage:

• Noise: When a brake pad needs replacing, you’ll start to hear a sound like metal scraping, which indicates that the pads are wearing thin.
• Looks: You can view your brake pad behind the wheel—if it looks very thin or wore down, it needs replacing.
• Feel: If your steering wheel is starting to rumble or vibrate, it’s probably due to worn-out brake pads.

When you’re ready to have your brake pads replaced, vehicle maintenance done or you want an expert’s opinion on any part of your car, come to Professional Automotive. Call today for more information, at (907) 562-2471 or visit them online.